Wheel bearings

[92xj]

3 year old wheel bearings, packed every year.
Would you replace this based on the discoloration?  This is clearly not heat related as heat coloration would be around the whole thing and different colors.  The mark is located on the bottom side of the spindle and has to be from sitting the past 6 months with well used grease from all the towing last year.  Though it looks like it, there are no grooves, divots or knicks and the area is as smooth as the non colored area.  If you closed your eyes and felt this, you would not have any idea there was anything there.

[wadu1]

What do the spindles look like? Almost looks like water damage.

[Mudman]

Out of spec imop.  Maybe grease burned in?  Replace.

[92xj]

What do the spindles look like? Almost looks like water damage.

I would agree but nothing major I don't think. 
The grease was still 95% red with the rest dark brown but not milky
Spindle looks them same. 

[Special T]

Repack and use.

I've done the brakes, bearing repack so many times on my gooseneck I hate it. Those bearings and brakes are so clean and pretty.  Absolutly  reuse!

[Alchase]

That won't wipe off? Maybe some 000 Steel wool would remove it without damaging the spindle.
Bearings are cheap, spindles not so much. If it was the low spot, it seems to make sense it could be water related somehow, though I haven ever seen grease do that.

[Kc_Kracker]

i replace or service them almost daily. NO. if they dont slide on and off easy hit the rust spot with some emery cloth. otherwise repack and send it

[Bareback]

Reuse. New bearings will look like the old ones in a year. Maybe put a tiny bit of  never seize on spindle.

[Stein]

I would use steel wool on the spindle and bearing then buy new ones and keep those for spares.  I put my bearings under saltwater 30 times a year, so the few bucks is worth it.  They look fine though.

[92xj]

No salt water dunks for this travel trailer, if that happens, I’m unhooking and leaving it wherever it went in.   


Thanks everyone. Bearing is repacked by hand and seal in place.  Will slide on spindle tomorrow and then knock the 4th one out.   

[trophyhunt]

How often do you guys look at your trailer bearings? Our trailer is a 2019 and I’ve never looked at them.

[92xj]

How often do you guys look at your trailer bearings? Our trailer is a 2019 and I’ve never looked at them.

Yearly.  Mines also a 2019 and this is the third repacking I’ve done it had done.  Decided this year to do it myself since warranty is now up.  I also replaced the china bombs with some Goodyear endurance tires last week.   Once the 4th wheel bearings are complete, I’ll be good to go for the year and will pull everything back apart next march and repack bearings or replace if needed. 

From April to end of august I pull the TT every other weekend from 2-6 hours from home.  Then September and October I’m all over the northwest dragging that thing around.

Now my hunting boat, that guy is abused and I haven’t looked at the bearings in 6 years  I’m afraid of what I will find when I do, but plan to start that project this weekend as I know it’s going to be a few days of gathering parts and frustration towards myself for neglecting them. 

[NRA4LIFE]

How often do you guys look at your trailer bearings? Our trailer is a 2019 and I’ve never looked at them.

I would take a look.  I go 2 years max.

[Alchase]

How often do you guys look at your trailer bearings? Our trailer is a 2019 and I’ve never looked at them.

I was a out of sight out of mind kind of guy with my boat trailer, until one day I stopped to help a guy who had a 18 ft boat on a inexpensive base model trailer, and the spindle just let loose.
I asked him how old the trailer was. He said 2 1/2 years, no salt water! 

I had had my boat and trailer for about a year at the time. I drove straight out and bought some Bearing Buddies. I gave them a squirt after every trip I was so paranoid. 

[KFhunter]

Perfectly safe to use, tbe rust isn't on a bearing surface.

I'd still replace though, if convenient to do so. If not convenient, clean up and use it.